The red and blue lights of the patrol car painted the street like a depressing nightclub.
A couple of officers had me against the wall while another went through my backpack as if he expected to find a nuclear arsenal between my chocolate and a pack of cookies.
Next to me, the hooded guy —now without his gun— was sweating like he'd been thrown into a sauna. His hands were cuffed… same as mine.
And there I was: Goo Kim, 13 years old, model student according to my grandmother, and apparently, a public menace according to the Musutafu police.
"Officer…" I said in a calm, solemn tone.
"Before you read me my rights, I want to make it clear that I am the victim here. Check the security cameras —you'll see the only crime I committed was defending myself… and, well… using a tiny bit of force."
The officer glanced at me sideways.
"A tiny bit?"
"Yes, it's just that…" I lowered my voice and shrugged, raising my cuffed hands just enough for the metal to rattle.
"…he ruined my chocolate."
The cop blinked, as if he hadn't heard me right.
"Your… chocolate?"
"My only reason for walking into that store, officer. Do you know what it feels like to buy the perfect bar of dark chocolate… and then have some gun-wielding lunatic come in and—"
I tilted my head to the side, closing my eyes as if the memory itself was a stab to the soul.
"No, you don't get it. No one's ever going to get it."
Beside me, the villain rolled his eyes.
"Are you seriously whining about that?"
"Yes!" I snapped, turning toward him as far as the cuffs would allow. "That chocolate was going to be my moment of peace for the day, and you took it away from me! Who does that? That's worse than stealing candy from a kid!"
The guy let out a short, mocking laugh.
"You're insane."
I smiled, leaning toward him just slightly.
"Well, of course. Do you think a sane person would be chatting with you, handcuffed, like we're old friends?"
One of the officers pushed us toward the patrol car.
"Come on, inside."
"Officer, I insist —check the cameras. You'll see he started everything and I just… reacted. With a lot of class, mind you."
[Class, he says… you kneed him in the face.]
"It was self-defense… and for the chocolate," I said —out loud.
The villain gave me a strange look. "Who are you talking to?"
"My friend," I replied, pointing with my chin to an empty seat.
The cop driving frowned.
"…There's no one there."
"Exactly." I nodded with total seriousness. "He's here, but only I can see him. And he gives me better advice than you guys."
The villain scooted as close to the door as possible. The other officer stared at me in the rearview mirror like he was considering calling a psychiatrist before a judge.
When they sat me in the back seat, the villain was shoved in next to me.
I looked at him, grinned from ear to ear, and in a low voice said:
"By the way… if you ever invite me to a heist, bring me another chocolate. And make it the expensive kind."
[And without raisins, right?]
"Obviously, without raisins."
Hours later, I was already out of the police station.
The cold night air welcomed me… and right after, the not-so-pleasant voice of my mother.
"Goo Kaminari! What were you thinking?" she yelled as we walked down the sidewalk. "Do you think it's normal to put yourself in the middle of an armed man? Do you want me to have a heart attack?"
"But mom…" I said, raising my cuffed hands —no longer cuffed, but still, for dramatic effect. "Physical damage doesn't affect me. You know how my Quirk works."
"That's not the point!" she snapped without looking at me, hands on her hips, her steps almost sounding like punches against the ground. "You could have ended up hurt or—"
"No, mom, that's exactly what I couldn't have," I interrupted with a smile. "That's the beauty of my Quirk: bullets, knives, bricks, you name it —everything just passes right through me. Look, if you want, I can give you a demonstration—"
"Don't you dare!"
[Hahaha, do it. Come on, it's going to be fun.]
I nodded toward nothing. "See? Kuro says—"
"And stop talking to your imaginary friend in the middle of the street!"
"He's not imaginary…" I muttered, offended, while Kuro laughed inside my head.
"Besides, what exactly were you doing in that store at that hour?"
"Buying chocolate," I answered without a second's hesitation.
She stopped and stared at me in disbelief. "Chocolate?"
"Yes, and that villain ruined it. So technically, he started it."
[Exactly, Mrs. Kaminari —your son was only defending the cacao.]
"…One day you're going to come back with a black eye, and it won't be because of a villain," my mother sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It'll be because I'll give it to you myself."
I smiled, calm.
"Well… as long as you don't ruin my chocolate."
My mother shot me a killing glance but kept walking without saying another word. The sound of our footsteps on the sidewalk mingled with the distant murmur of the city.
It wasn't usual for me to stay silent for so long, but… something in her look hit me harder than any bullet.
I sighed.
"Mom… seriously, I'm sorry."
She glanced at me sideways, without slowing down. "Do you really mean that?"
I nodded.
"Yes. I didn't think about what could happen… or how you would feel. I just acted."
[Hey! That doesn't sound like you.]
I ignored her comment.
"I know my Quirk protects me, but that doesn't mean I should do stupid things like I'm invincible."
My mother loosened her stance a bit, and even though she didn't admit it, I saw her expression soften.
"It's okay, Goo. Just… promise me you won't do something like that again."
I looked at her and, for the first time all night, spoke without a mocking tone.
"I promise."
[Well… until someone touches your chocolate again.]
I didn't say anything else for the rest of the walk.
I could've cracked a joke to lighten the mood… but I didn't.
The truth is, since my reincarnation in this world, I'd gotten way too attached to them.
They weren't my real parents… I had only taken over their son's body.
But… after spending so much time with them, hearing their scoldings, their worries, and even their little quirks… they'd become something more to me.
My parents.
Now, they were my parents.
And even if I'm still me… at least I could respect them as such.
If they worried, it wasn't just fear of losing me, but because, in some way, they really loved me.
[Oh, look who's getting sentimental.]
"Shut up, Kuro," I murmured, but this time, not with annoyance… but with a half-smile.
When I got home, I just flopped onto my bed without taking off my clothes. The dim light of the shared room illuminated my brother's figure, sitting on his bed, calmly and focusedly lifting a dumbbell.
The screen of my phone glowed in front of me as I played a racing game, swiping my fingers carefully.
"Hey, do you think you can beat me this time?"
Denki gave me a tense smile, like someone trying to hide frustration.
"I don't get how you keep beating me with just technique. You don't even use your Quirk when we fight."
I smiled with a mix of amusement and a bit of mischief.
"That just means I have an advantage beyond what you see."
Denki frowned, not knowing that he was actually facing my secret Quirk, Echo Sight — an ability that let me anticipate every one of his moves, even though he had no idea I was using it.
He kept lifting the dumbbell, determined to improve, even though the humiliation of losing to his younger brother hurt more than he wanted to admit.
I let the metallic sound of his reps mix with the noise of the game. It was a strange atmosphere for a shared room, but it was ours.
Just as I was about to win, I crashed into a wall like a complete idiot.
"Shit, no way!"
And I threw the phone onto my chest, annoyed at myself.
I looked at my brother, who kept lifting the dumbbell casually, almost smiling at me.
In a teasing tone, I said:
"Hey, don't get too excited... There's still a year left before the UA entrance exam, so you've got time to step it up."
He laughed and replied:
"I know, that's why I'm working harder."
Denki lifted the dumbbell with more effort, still joking around.
---
Author's Note:
"And with this, we wrap up the prologue and Goo's introduction to this crazy world of heroes.
Starting next chapter, we dive straight into the original story: the UA entrance exam! Get ready for action, chaos, and Goo doing his thing as he tries —and maybe manages— to become a hero… or something like it."